76ers steamroll Wizards in 29-point Game 3 victory

The Philadelphia 76ers are one step closer to advancing to the Eastern Conference semifinals.

The Sixers put on a show in Game 3, reminding everyone why they are the East’s No. 1 seed.

Philadelphia won their third straight against the Wizards on Saturday, a 132-103 blowout at Capital One Arena. The 76ers now lead 3-0 and are one more win away from sweeping the Wizards. 

This marks the Sixers' first 3-0 series lead since 1985. 

Let's take a look as how they did it:

Key performer: Joel Embiid

Embiid put up a playoff career-high 36 points, along with eight rebounds and two assists in just 28 minutes Saturday. His previous high was 34 points set on August 19, 2020, against Boston.

He shot 14-for-18 overall, including going 3-for-4 from 3, and was 5-for-7 at the free-throw line.  He also added three steals and one block, and 25 of his 36 points came in the first half alone. He did not appear in the fourth quarter.

Embiid has scored 20 or more points in each of his last seven postseason game appearances. His 36-point-in-28-minutes performance was the second-fewest minutes in a 35-point NBA playoff game in the shot-clock era (since 1954-55).

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Turning point: It was over early 

The Sixers got things started off right with 21 points in the first six minutes. The game was never closer than four points after the seven-minute mark, and the Sixers didn't trail once in the game. 

This is the second time in four days that the Sixers have scored 71 or more points in the first half. 

The Sixers later set a franchise record for points through three quarters with 109, and Philadelphia's 29-point margin was the team's largest in a playoff game since 2001. 

The Wizards found themselves at a whopping 31-point deficit by the middle of the fourth quarter as Philadelphia continued to extend their lead.

The Sixers shot 58.6% from the field, including 51.5% from 3-point range. The Sixers' 132 points were the 10th-most they have ever scored in a playoff game and the second-most they’ve ever scored on the road.

Wild card: Bradley Beal

Beal, who hasn't played in the postseason since 2018, shot just 10-for-26 for 25 points in 37 minutes. He was 1-for-8 from distance and had one turnover on the night. Beal was 38.5% from the floor and 12.5% from distance. 

Beal was both double- and triple-teamed often throughout Saturday's game, but he also struggled when taking open shots. However, Beal told the media that he isn't throwing in the towel just yet.  

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Twitter's take:

Did you know?

The Sixers take a 3-0 lead in a best-of-seven playoff series for the first time since the 1985 East semifinals vs. the Milwaukee Bucks, who they ended up sweeping 4-0. 

This is the seventh consecutive playoff loss for Russell Westbrook, dating back to last season when he was with the Houston Rockets. 

What's next:

The Wizards host the Sixers in D.C. for Game 4 at 7 p.m. ET Monday (TNT).

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